Disassembling tools for hydraulic valve lifters



March 17, 1959 m. CLARK 2,877,542

DISAS SEMBLING TOOLS FOR HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTERS Filed March 15,' 1957 INTOR. James '1'. Clark BY 7 W ATTORNEY United States Patent DISASSEMBLING TOOLS FOR HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTERS James T. Clark, Fort Morgan, Colo. Application March 15, 1957, Serial No. 646,322

1 Claim. (Cl. 29-213) This invention relates to a tool for disassembling nolash hydraulic valve litters of the type used in modern automotive engines. Valve lifters of this type comprise a cup-like body containing a cup-like plunger provided with a check valve which allows oil to accumulate between the body and the plunger to take-up lost motion or lash in the valve operating mechanism.

Occasionally the plungers will become stuck in, or attached to, the body due to an accumulation of incomplete combustion products and contaminated lubricating oil. When this occurs, it is exceedingly difiicult to remove the plungers from the bodies since there are no exposed surfaces on the plunger to be gripped with conventional tools.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple, economical and easily used tool with which the plungers of hydraulic valve lifters can be quickly and easily removed from the lifter bodies without damage to the lifter or any of the elements thereof.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are side views of the improved lifter tool illustrating successive steps in the removal of a plunger from the body of a conventional hydraulic valve lifter;

Fig. 4 is a front end view of the improved tool;

Fig. 5 is a rear end view of the improved tool;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section, taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through an alternate form of a conventional valve lifter illustrating an adapter in place thereon for adapting the alternate form of lifter for use in the improved tool.

One type of conventional valve lifter is shown in section in Fig. 6 and comprises a cup-shaped body 25, in which a cup-shaped plunger 26 is slidably mounted. The plunger is provided with a head 27 having a concave valve rod socket 28 from which an oil inlet port 29 communicates with the interior of the plunger 26. An oil valve port 30 opens through the bottom of the plunger and communicates with the interior of the body 25. A compression spring 31 constantly urges the plunger toward the open end of the body 25 and a retaining ring, normally in position in a ring groove 32, prevents the plunger from being forced from the open end of the body. A check valve ball 33 prevents return flow through the port 30. The plunger 26 often becomes stuck in or attached to the body 25 so as to render the no-lash features of the lifter useless. This improved tool is Patented 1, Mar. 17, 1959 2 designed for the removal of the plunger 26 from the body 25 regardless of the degree of attachment.

The improved tool employs what might be called an adjustable C clamp consisting of two similar curvated frame bars 10 arranged in parallel, spaced-apart relation and terminating at one extremity in relatively long leg portions 11 and at the other extremity in relatively short leg portions 12.

The extremities of the long leg portions 11 pass on opposite sides of an attachment ear 44 formed on a tube guide sleeve 13 and are secured to the car 44 by means of an attachment bolt 45. An elongated slide tube 14 extends through and is guided by the sleeve 13. The short leg portions 12 terminate in a hinge rivet 15 which extends between the two frame bars 10 and which serves as a pivot for a pair of similar, spaced-apart lever bars 16 which are curvated at their upper extremities to conform to the curve of the frame bars 10.

A connecting link 17 is positioned between the upper extremities of the lever bars 16 and is pivotally attached therebetween upon a second hinge rivet 18. The connecting link 17 extends to a hand lever 19. The hand lever is U-shaped in cross section and the extremity of the connecting link extends between the two sides of the U and is pivotally secured therebetween upon a third hinge rivet 20. The lower extremity of the hand. lever is pivotally mounted between the two long legs 11 of the frame bars 10 upon a fourth hinge rivet 21.

It can be seen that if the hand lever 19 be swung forwardly from the position of Fig. l to the position of Fig. 2, the connecting link 17 will force the upper extremities of the lever bars 16 upwardly and forwardly into alignment with the frame bars 10 and will swing the lower extremities of the lever bars rearwardly toward the long legs 11.

An extension bracket member 22 is riveted to the lower extremity of each lever bar 16 by means of suitable rivets 23 and extends downwardly therefrom. The lower extremity of each bracket member is curved and flanged to form a half-cup 24. The two half-cups are faced toward each other to form a socket for receiving the body of a valve lifter.

The slide tube 14 is provided at its outer extremity with a compression fitting 34 of the Zerk or Alemite" type and at its inner extremity with a similar compression fitting 35. A compression spring 36 surrounds the slide tube 14. The spring 36 is compressed between the sleeve 13 on the long legs 11 and a spring collar 37 atfixed on the slide tube 14 so as to constantly urge the tube 14 forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Let us assume it is desired to remove a stuck plunger 26 from a lifter body 25. The C clamp is opened, as shown in Fig. l, by swinging the hand lever rearwardly. The slide tube 14 is pulled rearwardly against the resistance of the spring 36 and the body 25 is positioned in the socket formed 'by the two half-cups 24. The slide tube is then released to allow the spring 36 to urge the compression fitting 35 into the socket 28 of the plunger 26 so as to seal the tube to the port 29 in the plunger as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The hand lever 19 is now swung forwardly to the closed position of Fig. 2. When in the latter position, the third hinge rivet 20 will pass the dead center line between the second hinge rivet 18 and the fourth hinge rivet 21 so that the hand lever will remain in the clamped position of Fig. 2 until released. The closing of the clamp will compress the spring 36 and more tightly seal the fitting 35 to the intake port 29 in the plunger.

The coupling fitting 38 of a conventional pressure lubri eating gun, such as illustrated at 39, is placed against the pressure fitting 34 and lubricating oil under pressure is forced into the slide tube 14. This oil enters the plunger through the port 29 and flows from the plunger through the port 30, pressing the check ball 33 from its seat, and into the barrel to create hydraulic pressure therein.

This pressure releases the stuck plunger and forces the plunger from the body, moving the slide tube rearwardly against the reaction of the spring 36, until the plunger has been completely forced from the body as shown in Fig. 3. The pressure gun is now removed and the C clamp is opened to release the disassembled lifter.

An alternate form of a conventional hydraulic valve lifter is illustrated in Fig. 7. This form is similar in all essential respects to the form of Fig. 5 except for the fact that an oii intake port 40 is formed in the side wall of the lifter barrel to register with an oil port 41 in the side wall of the plunger. If the latter type of lifter were placed in the improved lifter tool, the pres sure exerted by the gun 39 would cause the oil to discharge through the side ports 40 and 41. To adapt the latter type of lifter for use in the improved tool, a cup shaped adapter 42 is provided having a closed bottom 43. The internal diameter of the adapter 42 is such as to snugly and slidably receive the body of the second form of lifter so as to close the ports 40 and 41 to prevent the escape of oil. The adapter 42 is seated in the cups 24 of the tool similarly to the body 25 previously described so that the lifter plunger can be hydraulically forced from place in the body similarly to the previously described form.

For convenience in use, the long leg portions 11 may be gripped in the jaws of a vise as indicated in broken line at 46.

While a specific form of the improvement has been 9 cup carried by the other leg and providing a seat for the body of said lifter; a slide tube slidably mounted in said sleeve in axial alignment with, and with its inner I extremity directed toward, a body seated in said cup; at

described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood first compression fitting on the inner extremity of said slide tube; a second compression fitting on the outer extremity of said slide tube; a spring collar mounted on said slide tube between said first compression fitting and said sleeve; a compression spring surrounding said slide tube and being compressed between said collar and said sleeve so as to resiliently urgesaid first compression fitting into sealed engagement with the oil port in the plunger of said body so that when said second compression fitting is connected to a source of fluid under pressure, the fluid will be conducted through said slide tube into said body to urge the plunger therefrom against the bias of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,414 Clark Jan. 8, 1935 1,592,029 Keller July 13, 1926 1,657,194 Body Jan. 24, 1928 2,754,574 Clarke et al July 17, 1956 

